Father and son's track around America to become two of the first botanists

Posted: Friday, October 21, 2005

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Father and son's track around America to become two of the first botanists102105 living7Athens Banner-HeraldAlthough this book is written at the eighth grade level and a great educational tool, it is also a quick introduction to America's first botanists, one of whom traveled in this area in 1773 and left us an amazing description of the landscape, plants, animals and native people of the Southeast at that time. I've read this book twice.--> Father and son's track around America to become two of the first botanists Book review Story Photos "John and William Bartram: Travelers in Early America" by Sandra Wallus Sammons (Ocean Publishing, 128pp. $14.95)

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Connie Cottingham | Correspondent | Story updated at 8:37 PM on Friday, October 21, 2005 Although this book is written at the eighth grade level and a great educational tool, it is also a quick introduction to America's first botanists, one of whom traveled in this area in 1773 and left us an amazing description of the landscape, plants, animals and native people of the Southeast at that time. I've read this book twice.

But read the book closely and you see a lot more than the story of two great discoverers and plantsmen. You also read much about colonial society.

In school I was taught only the good things about our founding fathers. Ben Franklin flies his kite in pressed jacket and knickers in between writing words of wisdom, diplomatic travels to France and helping to establish a country. Only later, if you are part of the amazingly small percentage of this country that reads for pleasure, do you discover that each founding father or any great person in history has character flaws, personal trials and complex, fascinating relationships with others. This book does not glamorize the characters, yet explains the many relationships in England and colonial America that helped create the opportunity for the Bartrams to accomplish what they did.

Of their many children, William was the only one that John and his wife sent for formal education, since William showed a great talent for art. Yet when it was time to choose a career, art was not considered. Benjamin Franklin offered to apprentice him as a printer, but warned printing was rarely a profitable career. So William became a merchant and a farmer and failed miserably time and time again before going on to write the most complete account of the Southeast during Colonial times. Failure turning to success is an important part of this story.

John Bartram and his son William accomplished much. John was considered by Carl Linnaeus to be "the greatest natural botanist in the world." John Bartram developed a system of subscription packages of scientific treasures sent to a contact in England, delivering seeds, plants, even things such as tortoise shells and bird nests. This was at a time when damage from mice, mold, insects, salt water, ship delays or inattentive curriers could ruin the shipment. Plants might travel more safely by tucking the roots into an ox bladder for shipment. Even the letters, quite expensive to send, might be delayed or eaten by insects. William's drawings from nature also were sent to England, with rave reviews.

John Bartram developed his private botanical garden on his farm near Philadelphia, a place where he could grow and even hybridize native plants. He took many exploratory trips, then was appointed the royal Botanist with the task of exploring east Florida. William, at age 26, accompanied his father on this trip, documenting their findings with botanical specimens, words and drawings. Years later, William secured funding from John Fothergill of England, for an exploratory journey that would last almost four years, cover about 2,400 miles and bring William through this area. This trip resulted in more than 200 dried plants and 59 drawings sent to London.

William is credited with being the first to describe, collect or illustrate flame azalea, oakleaf hydrangea, yaupon holly, Franklinia (lost in the wild, but preserved thanks to his collection), Carolina buckeye, saw palmetto, Florida sandhill crane, gopher tortoise and much more. He documented these journeys in a book commonly called Travels, as the original title was more a paragraph than a book title. This book was not only important botanically, but was a descriptive account of the geography, wildlife, native peoples, society and the most complete list of birds in North America at the time. His legacy was not only his discoveries and writings, but the assistance he gave others who would go on to achieve much, such as Thomas Nuttall and Andre Michaux.

To discover the many other parts of this legacy, read the book.

For more info

Where to learn more about John and William Bartram:

Web site of the Bartram Trail Conference, Inc.

www.bartramtrail.org

Web site of Historic Bartram's Garden in Philadelphia. www.bartramsgarden.org

There is a Bartram trail marker along the entry drive to The State Botanical Garden of Georgia (2450 S. Milledge Ave., Athens) and a large informative sign about the Bartrams in the International Garden, between the café patio and the stone bridge.